세계적인 물 문제 해결에 적극 동참하고 있는 글로벌 수처리 기업인 자일럼(Xylem)은 혁신적인 유럽의 물 관련 조사와 개발 사업을 위해 유럽투자은행(EIB, European Investment Bank)과 1억5천800만 달러의 금융계약을 체결했다고 지난 24일 밝혔다.

유럽 전역 개발 프로젝트는 물 분야의 유럽투자은행의 참여를 강조하고 유럽연합과의 R&D 프로젝트를 촉진하기 위해 유럽위원회에 의해 운영되는 리스크 공유 금융시설(RSFF, Risk Sharing Finance Facility) 사업의 일환이다.

WHITE PLAINS, NY, Jan. 24, 2013 -- Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company focused on addressing the world’s most challenging water issues, has today signed a $158 million (€120 million) financing agreement with the European Investment Bank to fund innovative and aspirational research and development (R&D) projects across Europe. The deal underscores the EIB’s involvement in the water sector and is part of the The Risk Sharing Finance Facility (RSFF) initiative run by the EIB and the European Commission to promote R&D in the European Union. Representatives of Xylem and the EIB convened today in Luxembourg to commemorate the formal signing of the agreement.

The funds will be available from 2013 to 2014 as loans to finance the research and development of solutions to a range of complex challenges facing the water industry, including developing new innovative and sustainable products and services for biological water treatment, desalination, filtration and disinfection as well as improving the control of such processes. The research projects will take place at Xylem’s facilities in the U.K., Germany, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Norway and Hungary.

“We are proud to be partners with the European Investment Bank on this exciting initiative,” said Gretchen McClain, Xylem’s president and CEO. “Innovative and pioneering research is at the very heart of what Xylem does. As global leaders in water, our mission is to play a leading role in solving the multifaceted issues we all face in securing a sustainable water supply. This partnership with the EIB will enable us to invest considerably in market-leading research over the next two years.”

“With the financing that is now in place, Xylem will be able to enhance their knowledge and expertise in the field of water and wastewater handling technologies,” said EIB Vice President Jonathan Taylor. “This is of particular importance, as one of the EIB’s goals is to increase the potential of the European knowledge economy.”

[waterword / 2013년 1월 24일]